Taken from delayed broadcast of Fellowship in Pematang Siantar.
Theme: 25 and 50
In general, 25thwedding anniversary is called silver wedding anniversary. It is signified with the gifts made of silver physically. As the servants of God, we will relate it with spiritual silver.
1 Peter 1:18-19
1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Gentiles are dogs and swine, but we have been redeemed by Jesus' blood.
Ruth 4:5-8
4:5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."
4:6 And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it."
4:7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
4:8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal.
Tonight we discuss about the redemption related with sandal.
There are three possibilities about the sandal of redemption as follows:
Theme: 25 and 50
In general, 25thwedding anniversary is called silver wedding anniversary. It is signified with the gifts made of silver physically. As the servants of God, we will relate it with spiritual silver.
1 Peter 1:18-19
1:18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
1:19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Gentiles are dogs and swine, but we have been redeemed by Jesus' blood.
Ruth 4:5-8
4:5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the field from the hand of Naomi, you must also buy it from Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance."
4:6 And the close relative said, "I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it."
4:7 Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel.
4:8 Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, "Buy it for yourself." So he took off his sandal.
Tonight we discuss about the redemption related with sandal.
There are three possibilities about the sandal of redemption as follows:
- [Ruth 4:7-8] Removing sandal from foot, meaning rejection to the redemption of Jesus' blood.
Deuteronomy 25:8-9
25:8 "Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him. But if he stands firm and says, 'I do not want to take her,'
25:9 "then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders, remove his sandal from his foot, spit in his face, and answer and say, 'So shall it be done to the man who will not build up his brother's house.'
Rejecting the redemption of Jesus' blood, the face is spat.
The saliva refers to the dirtiness of sins.
The face is spat means as follows:- Keeping sin, doing sins habitually even intentionally, and there is no more forgiveness.
- Being ashamed.
- Not having glory/life renewal, so one keeps the carnality and he is left when Jesus comes a second time.
Matthew 26:67
26:67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,
Actually, we need not be spat because Jesus was willing to be spat on His face.
Meaning the blood of Jesus is able to remove all dirtiness and spot of sins, or able to sanctify and renew us until we become spotless as He is.
1 John 2:28
2:28. And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.
If we want to receive the redemption, be sanctified and renewed, we will not be ashamed before Him at His coming a second time. We can welcome His second coming and be glorified together with Him. - Keeping sin, doing sins habitually even intentionally, and there is no more forgiveness.
- Wearing two sandals.
John 1:26-27
1:26 John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.
1:27 "It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."
Jesus does not want to remove His sandals from His feet, meaning He is ready to perform the redemption.
Matthew 11:11
11:11 "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Water baptism is a great thing determining our destiny in the future, whether we enter heavenly kingdom or not. Therefore, Jesus sends the greatest man among those born of women, namely John the Baptist. John the Baptist could not loose Jesus' sandal strap, meaning the redemption of Jesus cannot be hindered by anything, even Satan cannot. Jesus is always faithful and firm to redeem our sins.
For what does Jesus redeem us?- For delivering us from sins as well as for lifting us up as priests and kings.
Having the ministry God has given us, we have to keep it to the end line, that is until we die or Jesus comes a second time.
Leaving the ministry means removing the sandals from our feet and losing the redemption or losing the grace and kindness of God. It means eternal perdition. - For redeeming us to become God's Bride, so we can enter the marriage supper of the Lamb of God and meet Jesus on the clouds when Jesus comes a second time.
Revelation 19:9
19:9 Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'"And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."
- For delivering us from sins as well as for lifting us up as priests and kings.
- Taking our sandals off our feet.
Exodus 3:2,4-5
3:2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.
3:4 So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
3:5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."
Moses took his sandals off his feet, meaning he had the redemption.
Moses was at Midian, referring to shepherding.
We have the redemption in shepherding, until we become as newborn baby who does not wear any sandal, meaning we do not rely on our own strength or ability but the mercy of God. Shepherding system is the most effective system to cut all our arrogance and greatness.
Moses only hoped in the grace and kindness of God in his lifetime as follows:- The beginning of his life.
Exodus 2:6
2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
Actually, Moses should have been dead and had no hope, but he only cried and he could be in the hand of Pharaoh's daughter.
Crying means worshiping God, and the hand of God's mercy is stretched to do these things:- To preserve and to protect our life miraculously.
- To finish all problems, even the impossible one.
- To give us beautiful future life in His time.
- To preserve and to protect our life miraculously.
- The beginning of his life.
- In his lifetime.
Exodus 3:5
3:5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."
In his lifetime, Moses took his sandals off his feet, meaning he had inner and outer sanctificationand he became as a crying baby. He was employed by God to deliver Israelites from Egypt, meaning we will be employed in the revival of Holy Spirit at the last rain. If one does not want to be sanctified but uses his own strength, he will become the murderer of the sons of God.
The Lord does not look at our diploma or riches, but the babies who want to be employed by Him. - The end of his life.
Numbers 20:8,10-11
20:8 "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals."
20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?"
20:11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
The end of Moses' life was not signified with being a baby anymore. He hit the rock, relying on his own strength and emotion, so he was in total failure and unable to enter Canaan.
Praise the Lord, Moses still had a chance to become a baby again. He could be on the mount of worship.
Matthew 17:2-3
17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
17:3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
Worship prayer will make the grace of God to perform these miracles:- Physical miracle, that Moses could be in Canaan. Meaning the impossible matters can be made possible and failure can be made success, something that has been destroyed can be made good.
- Spiritual miracle, namely life renewal little by little from carnal men to spiritual men until someday we can become as glorious as Jesus is. We become His Bride who is ready to welcome His second coming.
- Physical miracle, that Moses could be in Canaan. Meaning the impossible matters can be made possible and failure can be made success, something that has been destroyed can be made good.